Pole reenforcement



ATTys.

lnvenTor. Ekifidge M.Bee cher W M&W

Dec. 31, 1935. I

E. M. BEECHER POLE REENFORCEMENT Filed Aug; 7, 1935,

A Patented Dec. 31, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE POLE REEN'FORCEMEN T Application August 7, 1933, Serial No. 683,935

5 Claims. (Cl. 20-99) This invention relates to reenforcements for wooden poles of the general type illustrated in the Spring Patents No. 1,679,747, August I, 1928,-

and No. 1,789,393, January 20, 1931.

The pole reenforcement illustrated and described in the above-mentioned patents is in the nature of a metal-reenforcing member which is set into the earth alongside of the pole and which projects a suitable distance above the earths surface and which is clamped to the pole both at a point adjacent the earths surface and at the upper end of the reenforcing member.

The need for reenforcing members for wooden poles arises from the fact that such poles are subject to decay at or near the earths surface so that after a pole has been in service for a few years the decay which sets in at or just below the earths surface weakens the pole to such an extent as to render it unfit for further continued use. By properly reenforcing a pole which has been thus weakened it is possible to prolong very materially the life of the pole and this avoids the necessity of replacing the pole, an operation which involves both considerable laborand considerable expense.

In order that a reenforcing member may perform properly its intended function it is desirable that the means for clamping the reenforcing member to the pole and especially the clamping means which is located at the upper end of the reenforcing member, should be of such a nature that it will not'give or yield in any way, when the pole is subjected to a swaying strain.

The clamping means illustrated in the abovementioned patents comprises clamping plates which engage the pole between the reenforcing membersand curved or shaped clamping rods or elements which connect the plates to longitudinally-extending ribs with which the reenforcing members are provided.

When the pole is subjected to a swaying motion due to a high wind or other causes the additional strain thus put on the shaped clamping elements is apt to straighten them slightly with the result that the tight clamping grip between the upper end of the reenforcing members and the pole is lessened or perhaps lost. This produces a condition in which there is a slight play between the pole and the upper end of the reenforcing members, the presence of which obviously reduces the reenforcing ability of the reenforcing members. Furthermore, if a slight looseness or reduced clamping or gripping effect develops between the upper end of the reenforcing members and the pole then any continued swaying of the pole has a tendency to increase such looseness or reduced clamping effect which still further reduces the reenforcing capability of the reene forcing members.

It is one of the objects of my present invention it to provide an improved type of reenforcing member and means for clamping the same to the pole which will withstand any strain due to swaying movement of the pole without loosening or causing any reduction in the gripping action between 19. the upper end of the reenforcing members and the pole.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved pole reenforcement in which the reenforcing member has at its upper end an in- Q creased pole-engaging surface circumferentially of the pole thereby still further increasing the clamping engagement between the reenforcing member and the pole.

A further object of the invention is to. provide a novel reenforcement for poles in which the driving head is located at a point below the upper extremity of the pole.

Other features of my invention will be more fully hereinafter set forth and then pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing wherein I have illustrated some selected embodiments of my invention, Fig. 1 is a side View of the lower end of a wooden pole reenforced with my improved reenforcing mem- 30 her;

Fig. 2 is a view taken at right angles to Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a similar section but showing a modification of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side view of a pole showing the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6, Fig. 1.

In the drawing I indicates a wooden pole, the butt end 2 of which is set into the earth 3. Poles of this type are commonly used for telegraph poles, telephone poles, electric light poles, flag poles, etc.

As is well known, wooden poles are subject to decay and this decay is most evident at the portion of the pole at or just below the surface of the earth as indicated at 4 in the drawing so that after a few years use the pole becomes so weakened by decay that it is unfit for further use unless it is reenforced by some suitable pole reenforcement. The reenforcement herein illustrated, which is of a type similar to that shown in the above-mentioned patents, comprises one or more metal reenforcing members 5 which are set into the earth alongside of the pole and which extend above the earths surface for a suitable distance, the upper exposed portions of said reenforcing members being clamped to the pole both at a point adjacent the earths surface and also at one or more points above.

The reenforcing members herein shown are provided with a longitudinally-extending rib 6 which preferably extends to the lower end of the reenforcing member and the upper end I of which is thickened or enlarged to form a driving head which is used in driving the reenforcing member into the earth alongside of the pole. This operation is performed by placing the reenforcing member against the pole and then driving the latter downwardly in some suitable way such as by striking the driving head I repeated hammer blows with a sledge or other implement or using any other convenient method.

The clamping means herein illustrated for clamping the reenforcing members to the pole adjacent the surface of the earth 3 may be such as shown in the above-mentioned patents, or as illustrated in Fig. 4. The clamping means shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 6 comprises plates 8 which rest against the pole between the reenforcing members and clamping rods 9 connecting the plates 8 to the ribs 6 of the reenforcing members. These clamping rods are curved as shown in Fig. 6 and they extend through the ribs 6 and have clamping nuts Ill screw threaded thereto.

In the above-mentioned patents clamping devices such as above described are employed both at the portion of the reenforcing members adjacent the earths surface and also at the upper end thereof. As stated above the use of clamping devices of this type at the upper end of the reenforcing member is subject to the disadvantages that if the pole is given a swaying motion by wind pressure or from other causes the additional strain to which the upper clamping members are consequently subjected is apt to straighten the clamping rods somewhat thereby loosening the tight clamping engagement between the upper end of the reenforcing members and the pole and thereby reducing the effectiveness of the reenforcing members in properly reenforcing the strengthening pole.

In order to obviate this difliculty I have in my present invention provided an improved form of means for clamping the upper end of the reenforcing member or members to the pole. As herein shown the upper end I I of each reenforcing member is widened or is increased in dimension circumferentially of the pole by providing said reenforcing member with laterally-extending wing portions, one on each side thereof. With this construction the upper end of each reenforcing member has a dimension circumferentially of the pole greater than that at any other point in its length and, therefore, has at said upper end an increased circumferential engagement with the pole. The upper end of the reenforcing member which is thus made wider by the provision of the wing portions, is provided with a plurality of apertures I2, any one of which is adapted to receive a clamping bolt I3 that extends through the pole. The provision of this clamping bolt I3 serves to clamp the widened upper end of each reenforcing member firmly to the pole and in such a way as to prevent any movement between the pole and the reenforcing member. f

As herein shown, this widened portion II of each reenforcing member may be. situated above or adjacent to the driving head I and it is provided with one or more conveniently spaced bolt holes I2. Three such holes are shown, a central hole and two holes near the lateral or side edges of said wing portions. In order to give this widened portion I I of the reenforcing member added strength I propose to make said portion with a peripheral outwardly-extending flange. This flange comprises the horizontal flange M at the upper edge of the widened portion I I, the vertical flanges I5 at the ends of the wing portions and 10 the flange section I5 on the under side of the portion II, which flange sections I6 may merge into ribs or flanges II at the edges of the reenforcing member.

The clamping bolt or bolts I3 may be extended through any of the holes I2 and where two reenforcing members are used on opposite sides of the pole the clamping bolt I3 will preferably be'passed through diametrically-opposed holes. As shown in Fig. 3, this bolt passes through the two central holes I2 but it can be placed in the hole I2 at the upper left portion of Fig. 3 and the hole at the lower right portion of Fig. 3, or through the hole l2 at the upper right portion of Fig. 3 and that in the lower left portion.

This clamping bolt I3 provides a clamping I construction which holds the upper ends of the reenforcing members tightly or firmly clamped to the pole I and which resists loosening by increased strain applied thereto due to swaying of the pole. The increased circumferential gripping or clamping engagement between the pole and the reenforcing member provided by the wing portions is also important in securing the desired clamping action.

Another way of clamping the upper end of the reenforcing members to the pole is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. In these figures the through and through bolt I3 is dispensed with and special clamping elements I8 are employed which are connected to the widened portion I I, of the reenforcing member by short substantially straight clamping bolts I9. The clamping elements I8 preferably have a body portion which rests against the pole and a peripheral outwardlyextending flange which may extend along not only the top and bottom of the member I8 as shown at 20 and 2I but which also may extend along the vertical sides of said member as shown at 22.

The flanges 22 are provided with openings through which the short clamping bolts I9 extend. These bolts also extend through openings 23 in the flanges I5 of the widened portion II of the reenforcing member.

This construction provides a clamping means for clamping the reenforcing members to the pole which resists increased strain much better than a curved or shaped clamping rod or bolt.

I will preferably provide the clamping bolts I9 with heads 24 which are of a size to flt between the flanges 20 and 2| so that said flanges will prevent the bolt from turning when the nut 25 on the bolt is tightened or loosened.

t will be observed from Figs. 1 and 2 that the driving head I is situated below the upper extremity of the reenforcing member and the invention contemplates a construction wherein this driving head may be located at any point below the upper extremity of the reenforcing member.

I claim:

1. A reenforcement for a pole which is set into the earth, said reenforcement comprising a reenforcing member adapted to be set into the earth alongside of the pole and means to clamp said reenforcing member to the pole, said member having on its exterior an outwardly-projecting driving head which is situated below the top of the member and is adapted to receive drivingblows for driving said member into the earth alongside of the pole and a clamping bolt extending through the pole and the reinforcing member above the driving head.

2. A reenforcement for a pole which is set into the earth, said reenforcement comprising a reenforcing member adapted to be set into the earth alongside of the pole and provided on its outer face with a longitudina11y-extending rib which terminates at its upper end in a driving head, the upper end of the reenforcing member having at each side a laterally-extending wing portion thereby providing at said upper end a pole-engaging surface having a dimension circumferentially of the pole greater than that at any other point along the length of the reenforcing memher, and a clamping bolt extending through the pole and said upper part of the reenforcing member and rigidly clamping said member to the pole.

3. A reenforcement for a pole which is set into the earth, said reenforcement comprising a reenforcing member adapted to be set into the earth alongside of the pole and provided on its outer face with a longitudinally-extending rib which terminates at its upper end in a driving head, the upper end of the reenforcing member having at each side a laterally-extending wing portion thereby providing at said upper end a pole-engaging surface having a dimension circumferentially of the pole greater than that at any other point along the length of the reenforcing member, said widened upper end of the reenforcing member having a plurality of spaced apertures therein, a bolt extending through the pole and. through one of said apertures and firmly clamping said upper end to the pole, and other means situated between said bolt and the earth for clamping said reenforoing member to the pole.

4. A reenforcement for a pole which is set into the earth, said reenforcement comprising a reenforcing member adapted to be set into the earth 5 alongside of the pole and provided on its outer face with a longitudinally extending rib which terminates at its upper end in a driving head which is situated below the upper end of said reenforcing member, said upper end having at each side a laterally-extending wing above the driving head, thereby providing at said upper end a pole-engaging surface having a dimension circumferentially of the pole greater than that at any other part of the reenforcing member, a bolt extending through the pole and the winged end of the reenforcing ,member above the driving head, and other means clamping the reenforcing member to the pole between said bolt and the earth.

5. A reenforcement for a pole which is set into the earth, said reenforcement comprising a reenforcing member adapted to be set into the earth alongside of the pole, said member having on its exterior an outwardly-projecting driving head which is situated below the top of the member and is adapted to receive driving blows for driving said member into the earth alongside of the pole, the transverse dimension circumferentially of the pole of the reenforcing member above the driving head being considerably greater than the transverse dimension of the body portion of said reenforcing member and providing a relatively long pole-engaging surface circumferentially of the pole, means for clamping the reenforcing member to the pole at a point adjacent the surface of the earth, and other means for clamping the reenforcing member to the pole above the driving head, which other means prevent relative movement between the pole and said pole- 4, engaging surface.

ELDRIDGE M. BEECHER. 

